For millions of young people, bullying, violence, and other forms of oppression are a part of a typical day at school. Many students are afraid to walk down the halls for fear of being teased or humiliated. Others feel so alone and frightened that they cannot even pay attention in their classes. Imagine a school where every child feels safe, loved, and celebrated. This is the vision behind Challenge Day, an award-winning day-long experiential program for middle and high school students.

On January 27 and 28, the acclaimed Challenge Day program took place at Ingrid B. Lacy Middle School. More than 190 seventh grade teens and 50 adult volunteers experienced the innovative workshop, which is designed to break down barriers and promote school and community environments based in understanding, acceptance, and love.

At a Challenge Day, students, teachers, school counselors, parents, and members of the community are challenged to step out of their comfort zones, open their hearts, and build connections with other individuals. Two trained Challenge Day Leaders guide participants through a carefully designed series of games, activities, and trust-building exercises that break down the walls of separation and create new levels of empathy, sympathy and respect.

The Challenge Day program has been shown to reduce teasing and bullying. They also teach students about peaceful conflict resolution and inspire teens and adults to work together as forces for positive change in their community and their world.

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Motivated by a vision that love and connection are possible in schools, Rich and Yvonne Dutra-St. John created the Challenge Day program in Martinez, California in 1987.

Through their years of professional experience with teens and families, Rich and Yvonne recognized that teasing, bullying, and other forms of social oppression are symptoms of a greater underlying problem: separation, isolation, and loneliness. Rich and Yvonne designed the Challenge Day program to build connection and forgiveness between young people, and to inspire youth to become positive forces of change in their schools and communities.

Challenge Day was formed as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization in 2001. Today, its programs have reached hundreds of thousands of young people across North America and around the world. IBL would like to acknowledge the financial support of the IBL PTO, Pacifica Lions Club, and Pacificans Care for assisting to bring this vital resource of empowerment for our students, who ultimately are the leaders of tomorrow.

The Challenge Day program has received numerous awards from the Juvenile Justice System, the D.A.R.E. Officers Association, government officials, and many school districts and cities nationwide. Challenge Day has also been featured in the New York Times best-seller "Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul," in the Emmy-winning documentary "Teen Files: Surviving High School," and on "The Oprah Winfrey Show." Ingrid B. Lacy Middle School has been hosting Challenge Days for the past seven years. To get more information about the organization their website is http://www.challengeday.org/